College football week 1 is in the books. After every week fans can take away things from what happened on the field. Here are 5 things learned from college football week 1.
Related:Â 5 Things to watch in college football week 1
1. Notre Dame has a Clear Path to the CFP
Notre Dame traveling to Texas A&M was one of the big games of the weekend. The Fighting Irish defense looks like they will be one of the best in the country and only allowed 13 points. Their offense struggled to move the ball through the air, but their running game wore down the Texas A&M defense. They were able to score 23 points, which with their defensive effort, was enough to win the game.
With the win, the Fighting Irish have a clear path to the playoff. They will likely be favored in every game the rest of the season. With possible tough games against Georgia Tech, Florida State, Louisville and USC, they could even afford to stumble in one of those games and still make the CFP. It is early, but Notre Dame looks like they could be trending towards the no. 5 seed, the highest they can achieve due to them not being in a conference.
2. Miami Could Win Their First ACC Championship
Miami had a rivalry game in the Swamp against Florida to open up the season. They were favored by just a couple of points, but they dominated the Gators, winning 41-17. Cam Ward, a transfer from Washington State, lit up the scoreboard, passing for 385 yards and three touchdowns. The Hurricanes dominated the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball and that was even after star edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. left the game early with an injury.
The Miami win showed that they could go into tough environments and come out with a victory. It’s early, but they look like the class of the ACC. They have never won an ACC Championship since joining the conference, but with their success and other contenders struggling, this could be the year. Clemson got blown out by Georgia, Florida State lost in week 0 and Virginia Tech was upset by Vanderbilt. An ACC Championship could be in the cards and possibly more in the CFP.
3. Clemson Still Needs Changes
Clemson has slightly fallen off from the top tier of college football in recent seasons. That trend looks like it will be continuing into the future, as the Tigers lost 34-3. They struggled on offense, totaling less than 200 yards of total offense. The Tigers were ranked 14th, but now will fall in the rankings, despite losing to the top team in the country.
Over the last few years, Clemson has been one of the teams that has been hesitant to use the transfer portal. They have had no transfers who have come into the program and started. The Tigers have missed on recruits and have failed to get a functioning offense relative to how talented they are on offense. Dabo Swinney has a long leash at Clemson for his success, but if he wants the team to return to the top tier of college football, he’ll need to adapt.
4. Penn State Took a Step Forward
Penn State had a tough week 1 game at West Virginia. A long weather delay could have interrupted the Nittany Lions’ momentum, but they continued to control the game, winning 34-12. Drew Allar had a fantastic day at quarterback, passing for 216 yards and three touchdowns. The defense was suffocating as well.
In recent years, the Nittany Lions have received a lot of slack for not being able to beat Ohio State and Michigan. The new 12-team playoff benefits them, but it seems as if they took a big step this week. Offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki improved Allar’s play, who made some nice tight-window throws. If that continues, the Nittany Lions could be heading to the CFP with a chance to make a run.
5. USC’s Defense is Much Improved
USC and LSU played in a season-opening game that was projected to feature a lot of offense because of how bad their defenses were last season. Both defenses played better than expected. USC hired D’Anton Lynn as their defensive coordinator and they were able to hold LSU to just 20 points.
The Trojans were able to get the win because of the good performance of their defense. As they enter the Big Ten, they were seen as a wild card team, as their offense was projected to be good, but their defense was the opposite. Now that they have a good performance, the Trojans could compete in the Big Ten in their first season.
Make sure to check out our college football page for more content like 5 Things Learned From College Football Week 1!
You can like The Game Haus on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for more sports and esports articles from great TGH writers!